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Distributed September 13, 2005
Contact Mark Nickel


News
Taubman Center for Public Policy
Chafee Leads Laffey, Whitehouse Leads Brown for Senate Nominations

A statewide survey of 449 Rhode Island voters conducted Sept. 10-11, 2005, finds that U.S. Sen. Lincoln Chafee leads Cranston Mayor Stephen Laffey in the campaign for the Republican senatorial nomination, while former Attorney General Sheldon Whitehouse is ahead of Secretary of State Matt Brown for the Democratic nomination. Only 25 percent of R.I. voters believe President Bush is doing an excellent or good job.


PROVIDENCE, R.I. — U.S. Sen. Lincoln Chafee leads Cranston Mayor Stephen Laffey by 44 to 24 percent in the race for the Republican senatorial nomination, according to a new statewide survey conducted by researchers at Brown University. On the Democratic side, former Attorney General Sheldon Whitehouse is ahead of Secretary of State Matt Brown by 32 to 16 percent.

The survey was conducted Sept. 10-11, 2005, at Brown University by Darrell M. West, director of the Taubman Center for Public Policy and the John Hazen White Sr. Public Opinion Laboratory. It is based on a statewide random sample of 449 registered voters in Rhode Island. Overall, the poll had a margin of error of about plus or minus 5 percentage points.

If the general election were held today, Chafee would lead Whitehouse 38 to 25 (a wider lead than the 41 to 36 percent from last June). If Brown were the Democratic nominee, Chafee would lead 41 to 18 percent (up from 44 to 29 percent in June).

If the Republican nominee were Laffey, Whitehouse would lead 35 to 25 percent (comparable to the 45 to 32 percent Whitehouse had in June). If the nominees were Laffey and Brown, Brown would have a slight advantage, 30 to 26 percent (compared to 40 to 30 percent in June).

Gov. Donald Carcieri has a lead of 42 to 31 percent over Democratic Lt. Gov. Charles Fogarty. In June, Carcieri had a margin of 48 to 39 percent over Fogarty.

Only 25 percent of state voters believe President George Bush is doing an excellent or good job (about the same as his 24 percent in June). Sixty-eight percent of Rhode Island voters rate the performance of Sen. Jack Reed good or excellent, down from 71 percent in the previous survey. Fifty-four percent believe Chafee is doing a good or excellent job, up from 53 percent in June. Sixty-two percent feel U.S. Rep. Jim Langevin is doing a good job in Congress (about the same as his 63 percent) and 49 percent believe U.S. Rep. Patrick Kennedy is doing a good job (down from 56 percent).

When asked about the job performance of state officials, 52 percent feel Carcieri is doing a good job as governor (down from 57 percent in June). Thirty-eight percent believe Fogarty is doing a good job as lieutenant governor (down from 53 percent). Forty-four percent think Attorney General Patrick Lynch is doing a good job, down from 49 percent in June. Thirty-three percent feel Brown is doing a good job as secretary of state, down from 49 percent. Thirty-seven percent believe Treasurer Paul Tavares is doing a good job, about the same as his 38 percent last time.

Eleven percent rate the job performance of R.I. Senate President Joseph Montelbano as good or excellent (down from 16 percent) and 15 percent rate the performance of R.I. House Speaker William Murphy as good or excellent, down from 24 percent. Sixty percent say Providence Mayor David Cicilline is doing a good job, up from 59 percent. Forty-two percent indicate that Laffey is doing a good job as Cranston mayor, down from 44 percent in the last poll.

Forty-three percent (the same as in June) believe the state is headed in the right direction, while 40 percent feel it is headed on the wrong track.

Asked whether they have made a financial contribution to aid the victims of Hurricane Katrina, 79 percent indicated they had, 20 percent said they had not, and 1 percent were unwilling to answer the question. Asked how likely they thought it was that a significant hurricane would strike Rhode Island this year, 6 percent of respondents feel it is very likely, 32 percent believe somewhat likely, 46 percent feel it is not very likely, and 16 percent are unsure. Less than half of state voters (42 percent) say they have prepared an emergency kit in case a hurricane strikes Rhode Island, while 57 percent say they have not.

John Robert has been nominated by President Bush to serve as chief justice of the U.S. Supreme Court. Thirty-eight percent of respondents believe his nomination should be approved by the U.S. Senate, 24 percent think it should be rejected, and 38 percent are unsure.

For more information, contact Darrell M. West at (401) 863-1163.

Survey Questions and Responses

If the Republican primary for U.S. Senate were held today, would you vote for: 44% Lincoln Chafee, 24% Stephen Laffey, 32% don’t know or no answer

If the Democratic primary for U.S. Senate were held today, would you vote for: 16% Matt Brown, 32% Sheldon Whitehouse, 52% don’t know or no answer

If the U.S. Senate election were held today, would you vote for: 41% Republican Lincoln Chafee, 18% Democrat Matt Brown, 41% don’t know or no answer

If the U.S. Senate election were held today, would you vote for: 38% Republican Lincoln Chafee, 25% Democrat Sheldon Whitehouse, 37% don’t know or no answer

If the U.S. Senate election were held today, would you vote for: 26% Republican Stephen Laffey, 30% Democrat Matt Brown, 44% don’t know or no answer

If the U.S. Senate election were held today, would you vote for: 25% Republican Stephen Laffey, 35% Democrat Sheldon Whitehouse, 40% don’t know or no answer

If the governor’s election were held today, would you vote for: 42% Republican Don Carcieri, 31% Democrat Charles Fogarty, 27% don’t know or no answer

How would you rate the job George W. Bush is doing as president? 5% excellent, 20% good, 28% only fair, 44% poor, 3% don’t know or no answer

How would you rate the job Jack Reed is doing as U.S. Senator? 23% excellent, 45% good, 14% only fair, 5% poor, 13% don’t know or no answer

How would you rate the job Lincoln Chafee is doing as U.S. Senator? 10% excellent, 44% good 25% only fair, 10% poor, 11% don’t know or no answer

How would you rate the job Patrick Kennedy is doing as U.S. Representative? 13% excellent, 36% good, 25% only fair, 12% poor, 14% don’t know or no answer

How would you rate the job Jim Langevin is doing as U.S. Representative? 18% excellent, 44% good, 18% only fair, 2% poor, 18% don’t know or no answer

How would you rate the job Don Carcieri is doing as governor? 15% excellent, 37% good, 27% only fair, 15% poor, 6% don’t know or no answer

How would you rate the job Charles Fogarty is doing as lieutenant governor? 7% excellent, 31% good, 20% only fair, 3% poor, 39% don’t know or no answer

How would you rate the job Patrick Lynch is doing as attorney general? 6% excellent, 38% good, 28% only fair, 10% poor, 18% don’t know or no answer

How would you rate the job Matt Brown is doing as secretary of state? 4% excellent, 29% good, 20% only fair, 3% poor, 44% don’t know or no answer

How would you rate the job Paul Tavares is doing as general treasurer? 4% excellent, 33% good, 14% only fair, 3% poor, 46% don’t know or no answer

How would you rate the job Joseph Montelbano is doing as Senate President? 2% excellent, 9% good, 20% only fair, 11% poor, 58% don’t know or no answer

How would you rate the job William Murphy is doing as Speaker of the House? 1% excellent, 14% good, 25% only fair, 17% poor, 43% don’t know or no answer

How would you rate the job David Cicilline is doing as mayor of Providence? 16% excellent, 44% good, 18% only fair, 9% poor, 13% don’t know or no answer

How would you rate the job Stephen Laffey is doing as mayor of Cranston? 12% Excellent, 30% good, 16% only fair, 13% poor, 29% don’t know or no answer

Generally speaking, would you say things in Rhode Island are going in the right direction, or have they gotten off on the wrong track? 43% right direction, 40% wrong track, 17% don’t know or no answer

John Robert has been nominated by President Bush to serve as chief justice of the U.S. Supreme Court. Do you think his nomination should be: 38% approved, 24% rejected by the U.S. Senate, 38% don’t know or no answer

Have you made a financial contribution to aid the victims of Hurricane Katrina that recently struck the Gulf Coast? 79% yes, 20% no, 1% don’t know or no answer

How likely do you think it is that a significant hurricane will strike Rhode Island this year? 6% very likely, 32% somewhat likely, 46% not very likely, 16% don’t know or no answer

Have you prepared an emergency kit in case a hurricane strikes Rhode Island? 42% yes, 57% no, 1% don’t know or no answer

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